In recent times, functional capabilities of computers and communication devices continue to migrate towards one another. Computers are used for electronic mail, file transfer, and even telephone communications. Communication devices such as mobile phones originally provided primarily telephone services, but now continue to gain processing power and capabilities traditionally limited to computers. For example, mobile devices now typically include capabilities to send and receive electronic mail (e.g., e-mail, Short Message Service, Multimedia Messaging Service, etc.), as well as data communication capabilities. These advances in mobile devices and the associated mobile network infrastructures allows mobile devices to gain access to content and other data that was once only within the ambit of larger, wired computers.
Mobile operators and service providers have taken advantage of these new capabilities of mobile terminals. A variety of mobile content is now available to mobile terminal users, including images, ring tones, music files, games, calendars, contact management, device utilities, and so forth. While these advances benefit operators, service providers, users and others involved in the content distribution chain, some complexities arise as a result of the various developers, service providers, operators and other vendors who provide services that ultimately enable this content to be provided to end-users. For example, the content/service providers need to be able to make their content/services available to the consuming public. Operators often have different service/content offerings, and need to have a way to identify and select the desired service/content that they will offer.
Another complexity involves the manner of delivery of this content and/or services in a manner desired by the content providers and operators, or in a manner that provides for better access to the service. For example, the advent of Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs) has created some complexities. Detecting MVNO operators' subscribers from other MVNO operators operating in the same network or the network operator's subscribers is not possible with Mobile Country Code (MCC) and Mobile Network Code (MNC) mapping.
Further, when terminal applications connect to multiple servers, the best access point might not be the same for all servers. Some servers may require connecting through a specific access point for various reasons, such as to obtain needed authentication information from a WAP-proxy for billing, or the access point has limitations as to how large the content can be that is transferred through it, or due to specific arrangements made with an operator. The default access point settings used by an application might not be optimal or otherwise desirable.
Accordingly, there is a need for solutions to the aforementioned problems. The present invention fulfills these and other needs, and offers a variety of advantages over prior art solutions.